Call it what you want, there is still a lot of bloat at the big U.

Now they need to redefine their definition of "work."

I have worked as clerical staff at the U for just over two decades now. I work in a large department. When budgets get tight, the clerical staff gets a pay freeze, and we hire fewer temporary workers. We also do not replace clerical staff who quit or retire. But - in my twenty-two years in our department - we have never not filled an administrative position that opens up. We've even added administrative positions. The president, Board of Regents, Deans, Directors, Associate Directors, Vice Presidents... they definitely do not, as my union recommends, "chop from the top". They may chabge their titles, but until there is more and more specific pressure to do otherwise, the administrators will have no reason not to continue their status quo. The only tool we really have is state support. Thus far, neither party n Saint Paul has been willing to be more direct with the U about administrative compensation and how it could tie into allocations to the U.

The administrative bloat at the U is appalling. They should be spending money to reduce tuition, which is double that of other state universities.

Word choices don't solve the problem. Please publish a list of all administrators and their salaries. That will start shedding serious light on the problem. Meanwhile, we're stuck with Kaler, who has given no real indication he's a change agent. He's just another guy who will hold the job for awhile and then move on to a different university or feather his own nest like Bruinincks did. "malachy" is right. The legislature should be super tough in demanding accountability.

The problem is that the administrators determine how many administrators there are. They will cut classified staff or adjunct faculty before they ever cut among their own. Tax payers would be even more outraged if the real size of the vampire were known. Only the legislature has the power to really draw back the curtain. But both parties are in bed with the U. We lose. Again.

The new rule for sorting out employees looks effective one. This is a good management tool and can surely replace the old system. immobilier angers

It can get pretty bad there. You have a lot of faculty (old) at the top who won't retire, don't teach, don't even really research anymore. For these, they're always finding new jobs as Directors of something, Associate Deans, etc. - as perks, I think. They get a bump in pay, another office, but I'm not sure they do anything. Plus, often, they don't have any experience to do the jobs they're put in to. A lot of times (not always), they are horrible managers. Most people don't understand that the U. isn't really a cohesive entity, more like a weak empire, where the power rests in many faculty fiefdoms - and all the lords are always trying to increase their influence at just about any cost. This occurs at every level (subdiscipline, departments, schools, colleges, etc.). As you'd imagine, this is incredibly political and horribly wasteful. I have my Ph.D. from there. I got a good education even though a trying experience. There is a big discrepancy in how the U. markets itself to MN (undergrad institution preparing educating MN for the future) vs the way it really is. During my time, I never heard one faculty member express any concern, ever, about undergrad tuition or teaching. Just not on their radar. Only time I heard undergrad mission come up was when the U. went to the state for money. The few that seem to care about undergrad education are overworked support/instructor staff who generally have little power, are over-stressed, and don't get much respect from the higher-ups. These are fundamental, systemic, issues at the U. Changing job titles will not change any of this.

Good to see the U continuing to tranform itself. Boiling down the job categories and flattening the organization should improve efficiencies and reduce expenses. A program by program review and elimination or reorganization of ineffective programs would also save money and provide more funding for the successful programs. Let's prepare our students to gain employment and be successful in the global economy without breaking their banks.

In response to drg258 - wow, you clearly had a bad experience at the U. I particularly like how you completely generalized across not only administrators, but also faculty and their so called lack of interest in undergraduate teaching. As a faculty at the U, I completely agree with the comments that the university is top heavy. More so than some of our Big 10 peers. To state that you never heard one comment from a faculty member regarding undergraduate tuition or teaching is unbelievable or else you never actually talked to faculty. In my department and major, undergraduate education is paramount - even more so now than 10-15 years ago. It is always center issue in faculty meetings (and don't forget, we are a research university). Furthermore, as a faculty advisor, my number one goal is to get students the best education in the shortest amount of time. Your gross generalization of lumping administrators in with everyone else shows that you either weren't actually a doctoral student here or you have an axe to grind.